Molecular beam studies of fullerenes

A number of molecular beam experiments with the fullerenes are described. Such experiments allow a detailed probing of the interactions between fullerenes and other species and among the fullerenes themselves. Emphasis is placed on work involving photophysics and collisional interactions of the fullerenes.     

Ammonium phosphate slurry rheology and particle properties—The influence of Fe(III) and Al(III) impurities, solid concentration and degree of neutralization

Ammonium phosphate slurries are produced from impure phosphoric acid that contains Fe(III), Al(III) and Mg(II) ions. The insolubility of these metal ions and the onset of solid formation determined as a function of pH or mole ratio (MR) of ammonia to phosphoric acid were consistent with the trend for the pH of formation of the first hydrolysis product that decreases in the following order: Fe(III)<Al(III)<Mg(II). The hydrolysis products of Fe(III) formed at pH>2.0 or MR>0.5 initiate ammonium phosphate crystallization, reduce the size of particles formed and generate attractive interparticle forces. Similarly, the Al(III) hydrolysis products formed later at pH>2.6 MR>0.7), will also initiate further crystallization, adsorb on particles and produce attractive forces. The attractive forces and the high number concentration of particle—particle interactions are responsible for the increased viscosity and non-Newtonian flow behavior displayed at increasing Fe(III) and Al(III) concentration. Mg(II) ions are not hydrolyzed at MR<1.0 so its effect on rheology is negligible and its effect at MR<1.0 is also small as its concentration is much smaller than that of Fe(III) and Al(III) ions. The change in slurry viscosity with the degree of neutralization is also explained in terms of particle size distribution, solubility and solids concentration variations.     

Obesity: Prevalence,Theories, Medical Consequences,Management, and Research Directions

Obesity and its associated disorders are a growing epidemic across the world. Many genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors play a role in the etiology of obesity. Diet and exercise are known to play a valuable role in the treatment and prevention of obesity and associated disorders such as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the prevalence, etiology, consequences, and treatment of obesity.     

Nonlinear behavior of concrete beams with hybrid FRP and stainless steel reinforcements

The full-range behavior of partially bonded, together with partially prestressed concrete beams containing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons and stainless steel reinforcing bars was simulated using a simplified theoretical model. The model assumes that a section in the beam has a trilinear moment—curvature relationship characterized by three particular points, initial cracking of concrete, yielding of non-prestressed steel, and crushing of concrete or rupturing of prestressing tendons. Predictions from the model were compared with the limited available test data, and a reasonable agreement was obtained. A detailed parametric study of the behavior of the prestressed concrete beams with hybrid FRP and stainless steel reinforcements was conducted. It can be concluded that the deformability of the beam can be enhanced by increasing the ultimate compressive strain of concrete, unbonded length of tendon, percentage of compressive reinforcement and partial prestress ratio, and decreasing the effective prestress in tendons, and increasing in ultimate compressive strain of concrete is the most efficient one. The deformability of the beam is almost directly proportional to the concrete ultimate strain provided the failure mode is concrete crushing, even though the concrete ultimate strain has less influence on the load-carrying capacity. Foundation item: Project (50478502) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

The Effect of Organic Diluent on the Extraction of Eu(III) by HEH[EHP]

ABSTRACT

Because there are fewer tools available to probe the interactions therein, the effect of the fundamental chemistry of the organic diluent on solvent extraction equilibria has been under-characterized relative to the aqueous. As a result, diluents for solvent extraction are often selected for an application not for their utility as a medium for reaction, but for other (often equally) important reasons (like low flammability). To begin to improve this imbalance in the science, twenty different diluents have been used in a study of the extraction of radiotracer ^152/154Eu³⁺ from dilute nitric acid solutions using the extractant 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (HEH[EHP]). To increase the utility of the study and to honor the memory of Professor Jan Rydberg, this investigation was conducted by a cadre of comparatively inexperienced separation scientists (who are as a result no longer inexperienced separation scientists) as a radioanalytical chemistry and solvent extraction educational exercise. Slope analysis was used to determine the apparent stoichiometry of the extracted metal complex. The results discussed in the following indicate that, while the pH dependence exhibits the expected three H⁺ exchanged per metal ion extracted, the extractant dependence suggests that the number of protonated extractant molecules in the extracted complex changes with the organic diluent. The experimentally observed “extractant dependency” ranges from 2.5 to 3.0 dimer equivalent molecules per extracted metal ion. Ironically, in the diluents exhibiting the highest apparent M:(HA)₃ stoichiometry, HEH[EHP] extracts Eu³⁺ less efficiently. Europium luminescence spectroscopy was used to probe for changes in the first coordination sphere of the complex in different diluents. A model and conceptual framework for understanding these observations is described.     

Adapting the potentially mineralizable N concept for the prediction of fertilizer N requirements

Quantification of N dynamics in the ecosystem has taken on major significance in today's society, for economic and environmental reasons. A major fraction of the available N in soils is derived from the mineralization of organic matter. For decades, scientists have attempted to quantify the rate at which soils mineralize N, but the complexity of the N cycle has made this a major task. Further, agronomists have long sought soil test methods that are practical, yet will provide accurate means of predicting the amounts and rates of release of N from soils. Such tests would allow us to make more precise fertilization decisions. This paper discusses the potentially mineralizable N concept, first promoted by Stanford and colleagues [61, 62, 64], and suggests how it may be incorporated into deterministic models, such as CERES and LEACHM, so as to provide more accurate estimates of N mineralization under field conditions. We also suggest how the potentially mineralizable N concept may be coupled to quick, routine laboratory methods of determining available soil N, such as the hot 2M KCl extracted NH₄-N method recently developed by Gianello and Bremner [35], and used together with deterministic N models, such as CERES, for predicting probable fertilizer N requirements.     

The mechanism of CO oxidation over Cu(110): Effect of CO gas energy

The effect of the temperature of gas phase CO upon the kinetics of the oxygen titration reaction: CO_g +O_a CO_2,g, has been studied. It is found that the reaction's rate is independant of CO gas temperature between 300 and 623 K. The activation energy (6.5 kcal/mole), dependence upon CO pressure (first-order), and independence upon oxygen coverage for 0.1 _o 0.4 are all independant of the CO gas phase temperature. This result rules out any Eley-Rideal type mechanism whereby CO reacts directly from the gas phase with an oxygen adatom without first being accommodated to the surface temperature in an absorbed state. The result is instead interpretable in terms of a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism.Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Fellowship.     

Abrasive wear in filled elastomers

The abrasive wear of rubbers is strongly affected by the filler particles dispersed in the elastomer matrix. The fillers are incorporated usually for the purposes of mechanical reinforcement and improving the conductivity of the neat resins. It is found that the wear rates of the filled silicone rubbers increase slowly with filler concentration until a critical volume fraction,v _c, is reached, at which point they increase very rapidly with increasing filler concentration. This behaviour appeared to be universal in all the filled silicones we studied, regardless of the type of filler and silicone rubber used. However the magnitude of the critical filler fraction,v _c, can be changed significantly with the filler shape, resin cross-linking density and filler surface treatments. No reasonable relationship could be found between this wear behaviour and the mechanical properties measured in a macroscopic manner. Experimental evidence suggests that the incipient cracks that lead to wear losses may start within the thin layers of highly stressed material, the damage zones, surrounding the rigid particles. A simple model taking into account the stress concentration induced by the rigid fillers shows excellent correlation between the wear rate and the damage zones volume. With this new model, the observed wear behaviours can be explained satisfactorily.     

Thermal stability of polyaniline

Thermal stability data for neutral (emeraldine base) and doped polyaniline with various counter anions are reported. The emeraldine base is a highly heat-stable polymer, with thermal stability up to 420 °C. The thermal stability of doped polyaniline is dependent on the counter anion. The methane sulfonic acid doped polyaniline is stable up to 250 °C. The decomposition of the doped polyaniline is seen as a two-step process. The first step is the loss of the dopant and the second step corresponds to the decomposition of the backbone.     

Multidisciplinary approach to defining public e-procurement and evaluating its impact on procurement efficiency

Utilising the methodology of content analysis, this study uses a multidisciplinary approach to define public e-procurement. Various aspects of e-procurement have been discussed from information systems, supply chain management, electronic commerce/electronic government, and public procurement to come up with an integrated definition of public e-procurement. Following this, e-procurement assimilation has been defined and its impact on procurement efficiency has been evaluated. Following the confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modelling, dimensional level analysis in ANOVA has been undertaken for the three forms of e-procurement technologies namely e-tendering, e-catalogue management systems, and e-marketplace. The results show the positive and significant impact of the assimilation process on procurement efficiency.